Trying to choose which drivers to go with. Need advise

ClarkDan · 4th November 2012, 02:55 PM

I am getting ready to start a new subwoofer build and need some advise. I am going to start out building just one and then will build another one to match, around a month later when I am able to save up some more cash for the extra driver. My room is 14 x 18 and these will be used for mostly home theater with a very small amount of music listening.

My budget for the driver is $300.00 ea. I was thinking of going with the Dayton HO18 or Fi Car Audio SSD-18. I am kind of new to this, and those are the only drivers that I have been researching. Can anyone suggest and other drivers in that price range that would be better than the SSD-18 or HO18?

I want to build these in a large ported enclosure that would ideally go down to sub 16hz and also put out a good amount of SPL at those low frequencies. I have no size or space restrictions, no WAF to deal with as these will be going in my man cave.

I am also looking for good suggestions on what amp I should go with. Budget for the amp is $300 and below. Budget for the driver is $300 and below.

Moonfly · 4th November 2012, 04:51 PM

Either of these drivers should be a good choice, but I only have experience with the Fi drivers, which I cant really fault. An SSD18 will work well in a large enclosure tuned down to 15hz with anything upto 1000 watts of input power. Many people use behringer amps to power DIY subs as they offer lots of power pretty cheaply and one amp can power two subs easily enough. The are pro amps though and come with cooling fans on them that may be an issue for some.

ClarkDan · 5th November 2012, 11:43 AM

Thanks for the reply Moonfly! Are there any other drivers in the $300 dollar price range that would best a Dayton HO18 or an SSD-18? What about JBL drivers, or Mach5 Audio, or possibly even something like a TC Sounds Epic driver?

turbodawg · 5th November 2012, 02:01 PM

A pair of 15" HO would be $300 and have more displacement potential. But the amp requirements would be different and you would need a pair of boxes, larger overall.

tb46 · 5th November 2012, 03:14 PM

Hi ClarkDan,

"...I have no size or space restrictions..."

How about the Kraken 212: Build your own 2x12" TH (The Kraken 212 TH)

Regards,

ClarkDan · 5th November 2012, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tb46

Hi ClarkDan,

"...I have no size or space restrictions..."

How about the Kraken 212: Build your own 2x12" TH (The Kraken 212 TH)

Regards,

Wow, that looks so impressive that I have decided to build a pair of Kraken 112's. Might possibly go with a 212 but since this is my first build, I think the 112 might be easier. Do you, or anyone else have the proper deminsions of the cabinet, preferably in inches, for the 112 with the recommended JBL 1214 driver? I looked through a ton of pages on that thread and couldn't really find a decent copy of the specs as far as which widths to cut the panels. Any help with that would be awesome!

hoppaz · 5th November 2012, 06:04 PM

I built a Dayton sub for HT. 4.5 cubic feet. Love it and I won't go down the commercial route again.

tb46 · 06:39 PM

Hi ClarkDan,

Here it is in Post #94 (some of these threads should be indexed in Post #1, oh well): Build your own 2x12" TH (The Kraken 212 TH)

Quote: "... inner width and the outlet hole is 320mm wide/high. Material thickness is
22mm..." (W_inner=12.598" / Material=0.866")

Regards,

tb46 · 5th November 2012, 06:53 PM

Hi again,

Before I forget about it: Lab12 - Tapped Horn - , and
in Posts 181/188(updated pdf) I added a single fold small footprint version.

Regards,

hoppaz · 5th November 2012, 09:10 PM

What's the cubic feet size of said design?

5th November 2012, 03:14 PM	#5
tb46 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas	Hi ClarkDan, "...I have no size or space restrictions..." How about the Kraken 212: Build your own 2x12" TH (The Kraken 212 TH) Regards, __________________ Oliver

5th November 2012, 06:35 PM	#8
tb46 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas	Hi ClarkDan, Here it is in Post #94 (some of these threads should be indexed in Post #1, oh well): Build your own 2x12" TH (The Kraken 212 TH) Quote: "... inner width and the outlet hole is 320mm wide/high. Material thickness is 22mm..." (W_inner=12.598" / Material=0.866") Regards, __________________ Oliver Last edited by tb46; 5th November 2012 at 06:39 PM.

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4th November 2012, 02:55 PM	#1
ClarkDan diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2012	Trying to choose which drivers to go with. Need advise I am getting ready to start a new subwoofer build and need some advise. I am going to start out building just one and then will build another one to match, around a month later when I am able to save up some more cash for the extra driver. My room is 14 x 18 and these will be used for mostly home theater with a very small amount of music listening. My budget for the driver is $300.00 ea. I was thinking of going with the Dayton HO18 or Fi Car Audio SSD-18. I am kind of new to this, and those are the only drivers that I have been researching. Can anyone suggest and other drivers in that price range that would be better than the SSD-18 or HO18? I want to build these in a large ported enclosure that would ideally go down to sub 16hz and also put out a good amount of SPL at those low frequencies. I have no size or space restrictions, no WAF to deal with as these will be going in my man cave. I am also looking for good suggestions on what amp I should go with. Budget for the amp is $300 and below. Budget for the driver is $300 and below.

4th November 2012, 04:51 PM	#2
Moonfly diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2012	Either of these drivers should be a good choice, but I only have experience with the Fi drivers, which I cant really fault. An SSD18 will work well in a large enclosure tuned down to 15hz with anything upto 1000 watts of input power. Many people use behringer amps to power DIY subs as they offer lots of power pretty cheaply and one amp can power two subs easily enough. The are pro amps though and come with cooling fans on them that may be an issue for some.

5th November 2012, 11:43 AM	#3
ClarkDan diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2012	Thanks for the reply Moonfly! Are there any other drivers in the $300 dollar price range that would best a Dayton HO18 or an SSD-18? What about JBL drivers, or Mach5 Audio, or possibly even something like a TC Sounds Epic driver?

5th November 2012, 02:01 PM	#4
turbodawg diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2004	A pair of 15" HO would be $300 and have more displacement potential. But the amp requirements would be different and you would need a pair of boxes, larger overall.

5th November 2012, 06:53 PM	#9
tb46 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas	Hi again, Before I forget about it: Lab12 - Tapped Horn - , and in Posts 181/188(updated pdf) I added a single fold small footprint version. Regards, __________________ Oliver

5th November 2012, 09:10 PM	#10
hoppaz diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2009	What's the cubic feet size of said design?